Begonia plant named ‘Fibegunfiki’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Fibegunfiki’, characterized by its upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; relatively compact; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; and semi-double flowers that are deep pink in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIBEGUNFIKI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fibegunfiki’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and flowering Begonia plants with unique and attractive flower colors.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2013 of a proprietary selection of Begonia hybrida identified as code number BG-1458, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent and a proprietary selection of Begonia hybrida identified as code number BG08-00182-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fibegunfiki’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fibegunfiki’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to spreading and mounded plant habit; relatively         compact.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and continuously flowering habit.     -   5. Semi-double flowers that are deep pink in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the proprietary parent selections. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in uniformity as plants of the new Begonia are more uniform than plants of the parent selections. In addition, plants of the new Begonia are more freely flowering than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia hybrida ‘Filuckstr’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,485. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Filuckstr’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of         ‘Filuckstr’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Filuckstr’.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have larger male flowers than         plants of ‘Filuckstr’.     -   4. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Filuckstr’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Filuckstr’ have yellow-colored flowers with         apricot-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fibegunfiki’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fibegunfiki’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were eight weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hybrida ‘Fibegunfiki’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hybrida identified as code number BG-1458, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hybrida identified as code number BG08-00182-002, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             whitish grey in color; actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots; plants of the new Begonia have             not been observed to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to spreading and             mounded plant habit; relatively compact; pendulous with             development; freely basal branching with about eight primary             branches; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 26 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 8 cm to 12 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 5 mm to 20 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 199A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.5 cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to             lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing and             fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A;             venation, close to N137B. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 181A; venation, close to             144B. Petioles: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 199A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers arranged in axillary             cymes; freely flowering habit with numerous flowers             developing per plant; flowers pendulous and face outwardly             to downwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants in full flower about eight             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden             plants flower freely and continuously throughout the summer             in Northern Europe and can be flowered year-round in             greenhouses.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four weeks             on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—About three.         -   Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Female flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 142C and 49A.         -   Female flowers.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height): About             4 cm.         -   Female flower tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically five per flower arranged in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 52A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 52B and             N155A.         -   Female flower tepaloids.—None observed.         -   Female flower pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Aspect: About 90° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 199A.         -   Female flowers reproductive organs.—Quantity of pistils per             flower: Three. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Style length:             About 7 mm. Style color: Close to 43B. Stigma shape: Curled.             Stigma color: Close to 163B. Ovary color: Close to 143C and             46A. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not             been observed on plants of the new Begonia.         -   Male flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             142C and 49A.         -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height): About             2.5 cm.         -   Male flower tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically about four to five arranged in a single whorl.             Length: About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to             3.5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 52A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 52B and N155A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 50A; color does not fade             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 50B             and N155A; color does not fade with development.         -   Male flower tepaloids.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically about 16 arranged in several whorls. Length: About             2.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Shape: Oval, irregular.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 50A and 23A; color             does not fade with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 50B and N155A; color does             not fade with development.         -   Male flower pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Aspect: About 90° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 199A.         -   Male flowers reproductive organs.—None observed; all             transformed into tepaloids. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Fibegunfiki’ as illustrated and described. 